A living cloud of snow geese and Ross's geese lifts off the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge on the south shore of the sea. The refuge, established in 1930 to lure ducks and geese from nearby farmers' fields and to create habitat for migratory birds, was renamed in 1998 in honor of the late congressman and entertainer from Palm Springs who championed the sea's restoration. More than 400 species of birds have been found at the sea, making it one of the most important migratory bird habitats in the United States. If the sea's ecosystem collapses, bird populations could too.